1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector and particularly to an electrical connector for inductive connections.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of electrical connectors are known in the art. The majority of electrical connectors transmit a current by way of direct metal-to-metal contacts. These connectors typically comprise a plug part and a socket part, the plug part being formed with pins which frictionally engage sockets formed in the socket part. The pins and sockets make the electric contact and also hold the two parts of the connector together.
Another type of electrical connector is the inductive connector. Inductive connectors typically comprise a primary part and a secondary part, each comprising a half core which has a coil wrapped round it. In use, the two parts are brought together so that the half cores are positioned adjacent each other. A current is passed through the winding on the primary half core which induces a current in the winding on the secondary half core. Various means of connecting the primary and secondary parts together are known, such as multiple protrusions received in sockets, clips or other resilient means for snapping into recesses and bayonet formations for locking into recesses, as described in WO 2004/097866.
GB 392052 discloses another form of connector for coupling a primary part and a secondary part of an inductive connection. The parts are formed in respective housings which each have circumferential lips. When the parts are brought together, the lip of one of the parts fits inside the lip of the other part such that the lips frictionally engage and therefore hold the two parts together.
These known connections have the problem that particulate material and contaminants can become lodged between the electrical connections or the primary and secondary half cores when the two parts of the connector are pushed together. This can cause damage to the electrical connections or half cores, which may reduce efficiency of the connection or even cause a safety hazard.
Additionally, locating the pins or resilient clips of one part of the connector in the sockets or recesses of the other part of the connector can be cumbersome and time consuming, since each of the pins or clips must be correctly aligned with the respective socket or recess. Further, it is sometimes found that assembling or disassembling parts having pins and recesses is physically difficult since the pins make a very tight fit in the recesses to ensure that the parts do not become accidentally disassembled.
The present invention aims to alleviate these problems.